The UK’s doctors this week have called for a 20 per cent tax hike on the cost of sugary drinks as part of a package to cut child obesity.

We asked people in Hamilton town centre what they thought.

Allison Ferguson said: “I would support a 20 per cent tax on sugary drink to help stop child obsesity. I think there needs to be more education and that parents have to be responsbile for what they are giving to their children.

“I see parents all the time giving their children sausage rolls and there is a lot of sugar and salt in those. Hopefully it would make a difference as something has to be done.”

Alan Shaw said: “It is a hard one. I think it is up to the parents. I think they should be taxed because that would get the message across to parents.

“It is going to be hard to stop but it is worth trying.”

Bill Graham said: “It is ridiculous and if they really want to help us they should be looking at what is in Diet Coke. Why not cut the amount of sugar that is in Coke? It’s just another way of taxing the poor.”

Joe Jackson said: “It won’t help. It is just a tax like every other tax. It won’t really stop parents giving their children sugary drinks. What are they going to do next, tax sugar, coffee and tea? They need to remember that if they put a tax on sugary drinks, it would make a lot of people in the soft drinks industry unemployed.”